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Searchpath is an interactive library skills tutorial designed for students in classes with a substantial writing component or introductory level research, but we encourage all instructors to use it.
Searchpath will help students begin their research, learn how to use connectors in a search, and teach them how to use the library catalog, an article index, and how to better search the Web.
Each of the tutorial’s six modules takes about 10-15 minutes to complete and is followed by a short quiz. The quiz can be printed or e-mailed with the student's name and submitted to you as proof of completion. Many instructors give extra credit points to students who complete the tutorial. Learn more about using Searchpath.
As technology advances, the research process becomes increasingly challenging and demanding. Students must be aware of the range of print and electronic resources and make informed choices about the best sources for their assignments. They also must master the techniques of using a variety of database systems to conduct successful searches for information.
Library faculty provide course-related sessions to teach students how to search efficiently and effectively for information—using library resources, electronic indexes, and the Web—and how to evaluate the sources they find.
Waldo Library has two classrooms that librarians use for demonstrations and hands-on training. One has 15 workstations with room to seat up to 20 participants, the other has 37 workstations with room to seat up to about 55.
Instructional efforts are especially directed toward:
Instruction suggestions for undergraduate and graduate classes .
In general, we do not offer instruction sessions without an accompanying assignment. Research has shown that:
To achieve information literacy, students need more than one visit to the library.
To arrange a library instruction session contact either:
Dianna Sachs, Instructional Services Librarian, at (269) 387-5182 or by e-mail to dianna.sachs@wmich.edu or your library liaison
Please schedule your session as soon as possible, as the classroom gets heavily used. Allow at least a minimum of one week for scheduling. Arrangements for the classrooms and a librarian to prepare the session require at least that much lead time. Requests will be filled on a first-come basis.
Individual research consultations with a librarian are available to students and faculty by appointment through WRAP (Western's Research Assistance Program). Contact your library liaison or inquire at reference desks in the libraries to make an appointment.
We encourage all faculty to take advantage of the services of this program. Each department in the University has a librarian assigned to it as its liaison. Informational and instructional sessions for faculty and students can be arranged through your library liaison . Liaisons also provide support for faculty with library collections.